Easiest P7 conversion

[EDP]

The Harbor Freight 3D luxeon flashlight is a direct drop-in for the P7 star (from KD). The reflector opening is just the right size for the larger P7 dome. There is just a vestige of a donut hole and the beam has a lot of flood.

I was getting about 2.2 amps with 3 Duracell D-cells, but it dropped down to about 1.8 fairly quickly. It would be much better with 3 NiMH D-cells. Even so, the ceiling bounce test still places it between my ROP low (2C Maglite with 2 18650s) and the ROP high (6 AA Eneloops). I would guess about 600-700 lumens. I love 15 minute mods that work!

 

[lyrrag]

Wow thanks for the info. Guess I gotta look up Harbor Freight online now.

Thanks, lyrrag

 

[bdsmchs]

Would it be this bad boy right here:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95297

I've got a Harbor Freight walking distance away. It's very bad for my wallet. But if that's the light, now I at least have a visual on what I'm looking for

 

[Newuser01]

Does this bad boy have any kind of circuit in it? I'm guessing no.

Regards.

 

[lumenal]

Does this bad boy have any kind of circuit in it? I'm guessing no.

IIRC, this bad boy is direct-drive.

EDP - you may have just started a stampede to Harbor Freight. :twothumbs

 

[David Gretzmier]

I have a harbor freight store a few miles from here, and I saw that light a week or so ago. pretty sturdy. Is this drop in simple enough for a newbie? just solder off the old luxeon and put on the p7?

let's see, 30 bucks for light, 30 bucks for p7 star, 3 nimh d batteries 12000mah, 30 bucks. 90 bucks aint cheap, but for a screamer, and one you "made yourself, not too bad...

 

[EDP]

The p7 star came with pre-soldered leads. They were soldered with what appeared to be very high temperature solder, so I just replaced the existing red wire on the flashlight with the one from the star. It's direct drive, so I just soldered the red wire into the positive connector on the disc. There is a black plastic piece on the bottom of the heat sink that pulls right out to access the disc.

I bent the negative wire that was attached to the star around and soldered it to the screw anchoring the star to the heat sink (generous heat transfer compound applied underneath). The heat sink is pretty meaty and seems to be adequate.

This sounds a little complicated, but it would be even more straightforward if you just unsoldered the leads that came with the star.

 

[mmmflashlights]

I have this light in the 3C variety, basically the same light as the 3D shrunken down. The 3D version has a heavier pill and would probably dissipate the heat even better, though the 3C version is decent as well. It's a direct drive light, but it's pretty easy to put a circuit in the pill if interested. I put a simple 3 mode (+ strobe and SOS) 7135 circuit from DX in mine and replaced the Luxeon with a Cree P4. Drives around 1A on high if I recall correctly - a great circuit for this application would be something with 3 regulated output levels + an override to direct drive (like a 'turbo' mode). Yes the reflector would probably be better matched to a Seoul P4 or Edison since it's originally a Luxeon light, but the beam wasn't much different with a Cree than a Luxeon (somewhat ringy but a thrower). Obviously using a P7, I have no clue how it's going to perform, I'd be interested in beamshots. The reflector is decent and the lights overall are well made.

These lights are on sale maybe every 6-8 weeks or so for around $18-20 if you are patient. I'm not as interested in the P7 as many are, but this would be a good application for one since it's a simple mod and could be direct driven for a high output if wanted.